1. Field of the Invention
This subject invention generally relates to a sun visor for use in an interior of a vehicle, and more particularly, relates to a breakaway visor for use in an interior of an automotive vehicle that has a predetermined head impact energy absorbing arm therein.
2. Description of Related Art
Sun visors are well known and widely used, and a great many designs have been successfully employed in vehicles over the years. Manufacturers have developed a variety of ways by which visor bodies and other interior components may be constructed and mounted in a vehicle. The advantages in these designs, however often can add to complexity in the manufacturing process for interior components. There has been and continues to be a premium in the automotive industries on cost saving, and improvements in the efficiency and speed of manufacturing processes along with an increase awareness and focus on the interior of a vehicle being safer for occupants during crash situations.
Generally, motor vehicle standards are continuously being updated by the manufacturers and governmental entities. A particular area of current concern is occupant safety in the event of a crash with respect to head impact and interior components of an automotive vehicle. Generally, during crash situations, the occupants typically are violently moved in relation to the vehicle due to the inertial forces involved in a crash of a vehicle. Sometimes the most vulnerable portion of the occupant is the head. Vehicle manufacturers are now required to meet new safety standards to prevent head injury of the occupants of the vehicle when contact with interior portions of the vehicle may occur during crash situations.
One particular focus of governmental regulations within the interior of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is the impact of an occupant's head with a sun visor and/or sun visor rod during a crash situation. Sometimes an occupant, whose head violently strikes the sun visor or sun visor arm, may be injured because the energy of the impact will be delivered to a small surface area of the skull and/or the visor material may fracture exposing a rigid sharp edge of the occupant's head. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a breakaway sun visor that will provide absorption of energy during an impact of a sun visor with an occupant's body or head. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for a sun visor arm that will prevent injury to a vehicle occupant by breaking away thus removing the sun visor in a controlled manner from contact with the user of the vehicle. There also is a need in the art for an easy to manufacture and low cost breakaway visor that is capable for use in an interior of numerous types of motor vehicles. There also is a need in the art for a breakaway sun visor that will break at a predetermined point without having predetermined markings on an outside surface of the visor hence, providing a more aesthetically pleasing look for the visor to the occupants of the vehicle.